The present invention relates to a process for preparing high-purity epichlorohydrin from epichlorohydrin containing technical impurities by distillation in a column which is equipped with an evaporation or heating device located at or near the sump of the column, the preparation of high-purity epichlorohydrin being improved by certain processing techniques and/or apparatus features or apparatus combinations.
German Auslegeschrift 1,210,777 discloses a process for the preparation of epichlorohydrin by dehydrochlorination of 1,2-dichloropropan-3-ol with alkaline agents in aqueous medium at elevated temperature. According to Example 1, paragraph 2, crude epichlorohydrin is rectified via a twenty-plate column, yielding a "pure" product with a boiling point of 115.degree. to 116.degree. C. in addition to unreacted dichloropropanol. However, even after rectification, the epichlorohydrin obtained in this manner still contains interfering impurities in the form, inter alia, of halogenated hydrocarbons and the like. Elimination of such impurities is important where the epichlorohydrin is to be used for making ultrapure resins for use in electronic components or devices, microchips and the like.